I had never thought I would see the day when we could communicate with our pets on our phones. But the PetSafe® SMART DOG® Remote Trainer makes that very thing possible. It allows you to use your iPhone® or Android® as a remote to control tone, vibration, or static stimulations on a sleek, navy blue collar that your dog wears.

January is National Train Your Dog Month, but don't forget about training cats. We expect our dogs to know basic manners, and rarely feel surprise if King offers a "sit" on command, or a paws-up to "shake" when asked. But folks guffaw at the mere mention of cat training.

One common problem that most dog parents struggle with is bed manners. It seems like some of us try so hard to teach our dogs not to get on our beds but fail to reliably reach this goal. So I thought we could discuss some ways to help keep your dog off of your bed.

Intuitively, we all know that our dogs are like no others. They react hilariously to the most benign and everyday of sounds, or they sleep on their backs trying to copy the humans they watch daily. But it's not uncommon to totally forget how unique our dogs are when it comes time to do some training. Get to know your dog's personality and you'll have the keys to effective training sessions.

I was once a (childless) dog trainer that didn't completely understand how families found it difficult to squeeze in time and training for their pets. Now, as I chase a toddler and carry a newborn, I can understand how our pets can sometimes fall further down on the priority list, even if it isn't fair to them. The good news? There ARE ways to create an enriching environment, work on behavior problems AND provide the life your dog deserves--even with sticky peanut butter hands chasing you while you trip over trucks, dolls, and plastic figurines.